Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better
by Sylindara
Summary: The six degrees of Border. When there's only about 500 of you, everyone knows everyone else sooner or later.


Written for the request: _interaction between Narasaka and Nasu (now that we know they're cousins). It's not supposed to be romantic and maybe it could be related to Akane, since she is his student._

Can this still count as celebrating Narasaka's birthday? It's still September!

 **Edit** : I've been given the go ahead to update the jossed bits, so that's what I've done. It's mostly just the second half of the fic.

* * *

 _Today was a bad day._

Narasaka was almost home when he received the message from his aunt. He had just finished joint practice with the other snipers, the sky just starting to darken and the sun tinting the clouds a hint of red. It had been a good day until now.

It wasn't the first time he had received this message. It wasn't the first time Nasu had a bad day, one that sapped her strength and will to live. It was better now than it used to be. Now she had something to live for, something to look forward to when her flesh body wouldn't obey her.

It was the only thing Narasaka had ever managed to give Nasu in his life. Without thinking about it, Narasaka changed direction so he was walking to Nasu's house instead.

If asked, Narasaka would not say he and Nasu were particularly close. They were cousins; nothing more, nothing less. But Nasu's situation was a little different from normal, and so their relationship might also be a little different from normal.

Nasu's mother answered the door with a tired smile when Narasaka finally arrived, so he did his best to smile supportively in return. Looking considerate wasn't Narasaka's strong point, but they've both been in this position before and his aunt knew he tried.

"She's in her room," she said while Narasaka took his shoes off and lined them up carefully pointing towards the door.

He nodded at her. "Sorry for the intrusion."

She nodded back. "Thank you for coming," she said quietly. It was all part of the ritual by this point.

"There's no need to thank me," he said, mentally ticking the box off of the next part of the ritual and making his familiar way up the stairs. Nasu's room was the first door on the landing, and Narasaka ticked off another box as he knocked.

"Tooru, is that you?" Nasu asked, even though she knew it could be no one else.

Narasaka opened the door and peeked in. Nasu was on her bed, sitting back limply against her pillows.

"Thank you for coming." Her face didn't quite manage to form a smile.

"There's no need to thank me," Narasaka repeated. He sat down in the chair by the bed, the one that was always set aside for him on these days, and looked at the bedside table. There was a bowl there, a lone apple sitting inside with a knife. This too was part of the ritual. Narasaka took up the apple and knife and slowly started slicing the skin into the bin at his feet, taking care to face the knife away from him as he did so.

"You've gotten better at this," Nasu said in a lighter tone of voice.

Narasaka nodded, and snuck a peek at her face. Lines of stress marked just how bad it was today, but her eyes were dancing lively. He remembered the first time her eyes looked like that, when he had suggested her to Border to help with their medical research, when Nasu activated a trion body and truly moved for the first time in her life. He remembered the way she had clung to him afterwards. _I'm so happy to be alive_ she had said, sobbing into his shirt. The only thing he had been able to say in return was _I'm glad you're alive too, Rei_.

"Did something good happen?" he asked her.

Nasu's smile widened. "We – well, Kuma-chan – found us a third member," she said with relish. "A sniper too! We weren't thinking of going for a balanced team originally, but this is a good chance."

"A sniper," Narasaka said thoughtfully. "A girl…? I can't imagine Kumagai inviting a boy with Shiki like that."

"Oh it is definitely a girl," Nasu said assertively. "Sayo-chan will need a bit more time before we think about a boy on the team."

"Has she managed to have that conversation with Azuma-san yet?" Narasaka asked drily, the events of the other day still fresh in his mind.

Nasu huffed in amusement. "I'm afraid not. Do give my apologies to Azuma-san-" The huff became a giggle. "Oh dear, I am sorry, but poor Azuma-san's face that day! Poor Sayo-chan's face…"

A chuckle slipped from Narasaka's mouth too. "Don't be sorry. I don't think I've ever seen Azuma-san make such a face." He looked down at the apple, now half way done, and felt all expression fall off his face again. "But a female sniper…there aren't many of those."

"That's true. Perhaps you know of her?" Nasu asked thoughtfully. "She's still in C-rank, but doing well in training. She will do well at Border."

Narasaka hummed agreeably, mind still on Nasu's words. There were even fewer female C-rank snipers. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about Hiura Akane, would you?"

Nasu blinked in surprise, mouth opening inelegantly. "I- yes, how…?"

"She's quite well known in the sniper community," he said ruefully, remembering vividly Kodera and Touma's excitement over _the youngest female sniper trainee! She's still a middle schooler!_

"I can see that," Nasu said, back in control of herself. "She's very self-assured. A lot of determination and resolve that just need a purpose. I think she can go far with a good mentor."

Narasaka turned to look at her. Nasu looked back steadily. Narasaka looked back down at the apple, fully peeled, and cut it into rough pieces into the bowl. "Is that a request?"

"Yes, yes it is." Nasu took a piece, biting into it with relish. "Won't you become her mentor, Tooru? It will be good for her. And for you too."

Narasaka sent her a dubious look.

"She will be good for you," Nasu repeated, nodding her head assertively. "You're a good teacher, Tooru."

Narasaka took a piece of the apple himself, clasping it gingerly between his fingers. "Thanks for the praise, I guess." He thought of what he knew of Hiura Akane. It was as Nasu had said, she had a lot of potential. And it would be a pity for her to fall under the bad influence of someone like Touma. "I'll meet with her at least. We'll see."

"Thank you." Nasu smiled at him happily. "I can't wait until she reaches B-rank and can join us officially." Looking at her so focused on the future, Narasaka could almost forget about Nasu's limitations.


End file.
